Friends

Description

Friends (full titled: Henceforth I Call You Not Servants But… Friends) is the debut album by the American inspirational pop duo Ernie Rettino & Debby Kerner, released on Maranatha! Music in 1974. Includes additional musicianship from Fred Field, John Mehler, Cliff Robertson, Jay Truax, and John Wickham.

Debby Kerner had a fine earlier solo folk album on Maranatha, but her collaborations with friend and future husband Ernie Rettino are more a mix of string-orchestrated pop and MOR ballads. Their début includes original songs, as well as covers of Jimmy Owens («He Came In Love»), Kenn Gulliksen («O Lord Amen») and traditional spirituals («Let Us Break Bread», «Swing Low»). A rather mellow easy listening affair overall. I wish we could have heard more natural hands-off tracks like the hillbilly banjo/fiddle-backed «Middle Of The Day» and the acoustic title ballad. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th edition]

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “He Came In Love” – 4:30
A2. “Let Me See” – 2:37
A3. “Doer Of The Word” – 3:25
A4. “My Religion’s Not Old Fashioned” – 4:22
A5. “Friends” – 4:02
A6. “O Lord Amen” – 4:03

Side Two
B1. “Written In The Word” – 5:00
B2. “Promises” – 3:05
B3. “Middle Of The Day” – 2:38
B4. “Let Us Break Bread Together” – 3:48

Note: Simultaneously released on 8-track tape and 12-inch vinyl LP by Maranatha! Music.